Personal Injury Accidents Consultants: 39

George Zeitler, MSc, has over 30 years of experience in the Marine Industry in various regulatory, management, and consulting roles. He is an Accredited Marine Surveyor (Y&SC) by the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors and a Member of the International Institute of Marine Surveying.

Background Experience - Mr. Zeitler served 18 years as a USCG Marine Inspector / Casualty Investigator, and 7 years as a Class Society principal surveyor (DNV).  He then spent 1 year as VP of Operations for a niche cruise line. Mr. Zeitler went on to serve 5 years as a technical consultant for various segments of the marine industry, including 2 years as third party environmental auditor for criminal pollution cases. He has been an Accredited Yacht and Small Craft Surveyor for over 15 years. 

In 2002, Mr. Zeitler formed Zeitler Marine Services (ZMS), using his experience and knowledge to offer condition and valuation (pre-purchase and insurance) and damage survey services to the yachting and recreational boating communities in south Florida. He is currently the Director of the Chapman School of Seamanship Yacht and Small Craft survey course.

Litigation Support - Mr. Zeitler uses his vast experience verifying Compliance with Applicable Maritime Laws / Regulations through on site surveys and audits of client's vessels. His years of operational and regulatory enforcement help provide clients with a unique perspective that is key in identifying vulnerabilities onboard vessels as well as gaps in policies and procedures. He functions as a Court Appointed Monitor in situations where vessel operators are negotiating a plea agreement for a DOJ-approved Environmental Compliance Programs.

Areas of Expertise:

• Vessel Design and Construction
• Vessel Compliance with International and US Laws and Regulations
• Compliance with Federal and Voluntary (ABYC) Standards for Yachts and Small Craft
• Casualty Investigation
• Vessel Operations
• Cruise Ship Management, Operation, and Safety
• Environmental Compliance and Auditing

USAForensic is a boutique state-of-the-art forensics company with two labs in Phoenix Arizona and our booking office on the east coast. This helps with an earlier start each day and with overseas cases.

Specializing in forensic Audio, Video, Cell Phones, Computers Photography & ”Cell Tower tracking” debunking.  USAForensic is court certified in Federal, US Military, US District, many State and county courts throughout the United States. International cases are not uncommon. Mr. Neumeister has worked in 23 countries over the past 40 years.

Clients range from the largest Law firms to private firms, large corporations, the Department of Defense, government agencies, advocacy groups, the DOJ to the innocence project.

Technology is flying past the court system. We’re here to work with attorneys to understand how to deal with digital or analog evidence, how to challenge it or how to get it admitted into evidence.

We prefer to work in the background assisting attorneys, even writing out Daubert 702 & 902 issues regarding other parties evidence submissions.

In a recent Federal Daubert hearing USAForensic worked with DOD JAG attorneys to get police cell tower tracking ruled inadmissible. The federal judge rule police cell tower tracking as “Garbage in, Garbage out”. 

Not a verifiable science, not peer reviewed, no scientific white-paper to support its use.

Over 600 cases in the past 3 years. From the very highest profile to simple straightforward forensic cell phone extractions or video and audio clarification for court use.

To us Data is Data & takes no side, but it has to be verifiable data.

Areas of Expertise: Accident analysis, testimony and mediation in vehicle and pedestrian accidents involving transit, paratransit, schoolbus, motorcoach, special education, non-emergency medical transportation, taxi, shuttle, child transport systems and services; slips and falls; crossing, boarding and alighting; wheelchairs; seatbelts; ADA and accessibility; passenger safety, security and sexual abuse; vehicle design, specification, crashworthiness, quality assurance and product liability; industry standards and practices; driver training and vehicle operation; management, monitoring, supervision and enforcement; maintenance; NHTSA, FTA, FMCSA and USDOT regulations; vehicle testing and certification; contract negotiation and compliance; risk management; planning and system design.

The Firm: Transportation Alternatives is a passenger transportation and automotive consortium engaged in consulting and forensic accident investigation and analysis (more than 600 cases). Specializes in elderly, disabled, schoolchildren. 

Education: MURP (Urban and Regional Planning): George Washington University, 1975 BA, English Literature: Rutgers University, 1969 

Professional Experience:

• President, Transportation Alternatives (1980 to present). Consulted to USDOT, transit agencies, private contractors, social service agencies, municipalities and school districts. Designed several major transportation systems
• Chairman/General Manager, PTS Transportation (1982-1992). Directed operations of a 70-vehicle paratransit system for physically and developmentally disabled individuals and a non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) service
• President, TAM-USA (1989-1995). Formed and directed a U.S.-Slovene joint venture company which coordinated the design, testing, certification and marketing of a European-manufactured school bus and motorcoach. 

Appointments and Memberships:

• American Public Transportation Association
• National Association of Pupil Transportation
• United Motorcoach Association
• American Bus Association
• Community Transportation Association of America
• Association Internationale pour la Sécurité du Transport des Jeunes
• National School Transportation Conference (1995, 2000, 2005)
• Committee on School Transportation Safety, National Academy of Sciences
• Bus Industry Safety Committee (ABA)
• Access Committee (APTA)

Swenson Consulting offers Snow Removal Services and developed its own proprietary snow operations software and can help business owners who desire to build or maintain a software package to assist their snow operations. They offer general business advice for many different types of situations including:

• Growth Development and Strategy for Snow Removal Businesses
• Diversification of Snow Removal Business Services
• Effective Collection of Invoicing for Snow Removal Businesses

Principal, Jeremy Swenson, CSP, has satisfied requirements by SIMA (largest nationally recognized snow and ice trade organization-Snow and Ice Management Association) to become a Certified Snow Professional. There are less than 250 CSP’s in the USA.

Mr. Swenson owned and operated Snowmen, one of the largest snow and ice management companies in North America for over 20 years. He has obtained Security Clearance and is trained for onsite snow operations at the IRS Regional Headquarters, FBI Headquarters, Department Of Treasury Buildings, and many types of Airport, Railroad, Organ Transplant Centers, and Medical facilities. He stays current with the modern methods and systems used today in snow and ice removal operations, procedures, equipment, contracts, and is very familiar with the types of de-icers used in the snow removal industry today. He has successfully navigated hundreds of slip and fall accidents and snow removal-related incidents. After overseeing thousands of commercial accounts over the years, he has worked through almost every issue that is relevant to a snow removal operation in the industry.

View Jeremy Swenson's Expert Witness Profile.

Stokes & Associates specializes in Life Care Planning and Vocational Rehabilitation. Our team has a combined experience of over 20,000 case assignment engagements. As a result, they can quickly map out a plan to provide the right level of service for the task. Additionally, their detailed Request for Service interview is conducted before work begins to ensure roles and expectations are determined from the onset of their involvement. 

Areas of Experience:

Aaron M. Wolfson, PhD, LRC, CRC, CLCP, is a Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor, and Certified Life Care Planner who has testified as an expert witness in both state and federal jurisdictions.

Dr. Wolfson is a New Orleans native who earned his Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Colgate University, as well as a Master’s Degree and Doctoral degree in Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi. He completed a doctoral internship at the University of Washington, where he also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Rehabilitation Psychology.

Dr. Wolfson received specialized training at the University of Washington Multidisciplinary Pain Center, as well as multiple inpatient and outpatient physical rehabilitation departments, and has published in the areas of vocational rehabilitation and clinical decision making in rehabilitation populations.

Todd S. Capielano, M.Ed., LRC, CRC, LPC, CLCP, CCM, is a Licensed and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Certified Life Care Planner who has practiced in the private sector of Vocational Rehabilitation for over 35 years. He has been in the field of vocational rehabilitation since 1985, specializing in vocational evaluations, labor market research, job placement, and working up future medical care costs for catastrophic and non-catastrophic injuries in life care plans.

Mr. Capielano has been accepted as a vocational expert since 1989 in various courts, including Federal, State, Civil District Courts, and before Administrative Law Judges for Longshore Harbor Workers Compensation Act claims. Additionally, he has served as a vocational expert for the Social Security Administration testifying in thousands of cases since 1992. 

Mr. Capielano is a member of professional organizations, including the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, the Louisiana Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, and the American Association of Christian Counselors. He has served as Board Member at Large, President, and Past-President of IARP-LA. He received his Master’s degree in Counseling in 1992 from the University of New Orleans and his Bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Louisiana State University Medical Center, School of Allied Health Professions in 1986. Mr. Capielano holds national certifications as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Certified Case Manager, and Certified Life Care Planner.

Ashley G. Lastrapes, Ph.D., NCC, CRC, CCM, CLCP, LPC, LRC has over 9 years of experience in private vocational rehabilitation. She earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Holy Cross; she holds a Master of Health Science Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in 2011; and her Bachelor of Science Degree in psychology from the University of New Orleans in 2009.  Dr. Lastrapes is a Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor, as well as a board approved supervisor in the state of Louisiana. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas.  In addition, she holds national certifications as a Certified Counselor, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Certified Case Manager, and Certified Life Care Planner. Dr. Lastrapes is also a Vocational Expert with the Social Security Administration, Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.

Dr. Lastrapes currently serves as the secretary of the Louisiana Licensed Professional Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Board of Examiners. Dr. Lastrapes is a member of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals and served as a Board Member for the Louisiana chapter from 2014 to 2017. 

Dr. Lastrapes specializes in vocational rehabilitation assessment, testing, labor market research, wage and earning capacity analysis, worker’s compensation policy and procedure, case management, life care planning, and career and adjustment counseling. Aside from her work in private rehabilitation, Dr. Lastrapes also has experience providing individual and family therapy to individuals with behavioral, mental health, and substance abuse issues.

Brandy E. Bradley, MHS, CRC, LRC, CLCP is a Licensed and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor who has over 15 years of experience in private rehabilitation.  She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Louisiana State University in 1997 and her Master of Health Science Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in 1999. She also holds national certification as a Certified Life Care Planner. 

Brandy is a member of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP) and currently serves as President of the Louisiana Chapter. Brandy is also qualified as a Vocational Expert with the Social Security Administration, Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.

Brandy’s areas of expertise include vocational rehabilitation assessment, testing, labor market research, wage and earning capacity analysis, life care planning, and counseling. Aside from her work in private rehabilitation, Brandy also has years of experience providing individual and family therapy to individuals and families with behavioral, mental health, and substance use issues.

Elizabeth Peralta, M.Ed., LRC, CRC, CLCP is a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist, Life Care Plan Specialist, and Director of Case Management.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2005 and her Master of Education in Counseling from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2010. 

Elizabeth is a Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor through the LLPVRC Board of Examiners and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Certified Life Care Planner.   

Elizabeth’s areas of expertise include assessing future medical needs and life care planning, vocational assessment, wage and earning capacity analysis, and labor market research.

View Stokes & Associates' Consulting Profile.

More than 40 years experience: defective packaging; unreasonably dangerous products; failure-to-warn; materials-handling; warehousing; cargo loading and securement; falling cargo; insurance claims for loss or damaged cargo; falling merchandise; patent infringement; trade-dress infringement. Has testified in state and federal courts and knows how to connect with a jury. Has worked for Plaintiffs and Defendants. Services: consulting; analysis; cite inspections; exemplar testing; opining; report writing; testifying. Long list of attorney references. Self-employed consultant. Former employee at Fortune 100 firms. Former university instructor. Many published articles and speaking engagements. Knows how to combine theory and practice.

Stephen M. Raffle, M.D. is double Board-Certified in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry. Dr. Raffle has over 49 years as a clinical and forensic psychiatrist offering his expert opinion in Federal and State jurisdictions nationwide. In addition to serving as an expert witness, Dr. Raffle consults to attorneys, judges, insurers, and to employers regarding Fitness for Duty and Risk of Violence (Threat) Assessment:

• 5000+ psychiatric assessments
• Expert testimony in 700 depositions and trials
• Successful clinical practice

The job of an expert witness is to educate a jury, judge, attorney, and trier of fact about the forensic psychiatrist's conclusions and how those opinions were derived in a manner well-reasoned, skillful, and easily understood by every person, not only another forensic psychiatrist. In short, an educator. Dr. Raffle’s experience as an educator extends well beyond a forensic venue, yet underpins the key to his ability to explain his opinions.

• Prof. of Psychiatry, UCSF Medical School, 20 years
• U.C. Hastings College of the Law postgraduate course "Trial and Appellate Advocacy" instructing seasoned attorneys about the direct and cross-examination of expert witnesses, with special focus on mental health experts and licensed medical professionals, Psychiatrists (MDs), Psychologists (LCSWs / MFTs), and physicians in other medical specialties, 11 years

Stephen M. Raffle, M.D. & Associates' expertise is well-established in forensic assessment in the areas of:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Dementia and Competency
• Testamentary Capacity
• Undue Influence
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Malingering
• Emotional Distress: Intentional & Unintentional infliction
• Emotional Distress: Forensic Evaluation to render medical-legal opinion
• Diagnosis and Need for Treatment
• Fitness For Duty
• Risk/Threat Workplace Violence Assessment
• Wrongful Termination
• Discrimination (ADA, Title VII, EEOC)
• Harassment
• Employment Litigation
• Medical Malpractice
• Catastrophic Injury
• Temporary and Permanent Disability
• Medical Records Review
• Assist in Preparation for Direct and Cross-examination of Expert Witnesses and Deposition of expert witnesses

Licensed in California.

Dr. Alan Steinman is an expert in Maritime Medicine with particular emphasis on Sea-Survival, Drowning and Hypothermia. He has served as Surgeon General and Director of Health and Safety for the U.S. Coast Guard, as medical advisor to the Coast Guard's Chief of Operations, and as rescue physician on numerous Coast Guard search and rescue missions. He has an international reputation in hypothermia and cold-water survival. Dr. Steinman is widely published in the field of environmental medicine, including a chapter on immersion hypothermia in a leading textbook of emergency medicine. His research into human cold-water immersion and hypothermia merited the prestigious Arnold D. Tuttle Award from the Aerospace Medicine Association. The results from his human hypothermia studies contributed to the basis of current U.S. Coast Guard cold-water survival time charts. Dr. Steinman is Board Certified in Occupational Medicine; he is a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine. His Doctor of Medicine degree is from the Stanford School of Medicine; his post-graduate medical training was at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine and the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Steinman has experience in both federal and state courts serving as an expert witness in numerous cases involving sea-survival, drowning, and hypothermia.

Sidney P. Blum, CPA, CFE, CPEA, CFF has 30 years of professional and testifying expert experience in the areas of Royalty Auditing, Forensic Accounting, Intellectual Property Economic Damages, and General Economic Damages. Mr. Blum was named California CPA of the Year (2017) and Certified Fraud Examiner of the Year (2012). He is a Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Professional Environmental Auditor, and Certified in Financial Forensics by the AICPA. Mr. Blum was a KPMG Partner. He specializes in breach of contract, lost revenues, patent infringement, copyright infringement, trademark infringement, lost pay, and wrongful termination.

As a world leading royalty auditor, Mr. Blum has extensive knowledge of the Georgia-Pacific factors and other major influences on reasonable royalty rates for intellectual property litigation. He led the national royalty audit practices for Big 4 firms Ernst & Young and KPMG and he also wrote the global methodologies for both firms. He is one of 5 members of the Board of Regents with the 80,000 member Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. 

Clients: Mr. Blum's clients have included Adobe, Amgen, Beats Electronics, DGA, Disney, Dolby, DTS, DKNY, Ed Hardy, General Electric, General Motors, IGT, IMG, Marvel, Mattel, McDonalds, Microsoft, MLB, WWE, UMB Bank, Steven Spielberg, Harley-Davidson, and the NFL.  Expert witness testimony on royalty audit standards and results. 

Industries:  Many industries such as medical devices, music, toys, energy, film, consumer products, electronics, apparel, automotive, manufacturing and biotech.

Consulting Services:

Mr. Blum’s two books published by Oxford University Press and LexisNexis on financial terms in contracts are leading sources of valuable information for attorneys and contract negotiators. He has also made numerous presentations to law firms, professional groups, universities, and others regarding contract compliance and auditing.

View Sidney Blum's Expert Witness Profile.

Sanjay Adhia, MD, MRO, is triple-Board-Certified in Psychiatry, Brain Injury Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry. In addition to forensic/expert witness practice, Dr. Adhia has provided patient care in the Houston area. Currently, he is a neuropsychiatrist at Memorial Herman TIRR where he treats those with brain injury, stroke, and other neurological injuries. His forensic practice focuses on the psychiatric impact of personal injury, medical malpractice, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, competency, violence, and complicating mental illness, as well as psychiatric disability. 

Dr. Adhia is among one of the few Forensic Psychiatrists who is also Board-Certified in Brain Injury Medicine. Often, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can be a major factor in litigation as it can result in psychiatric or neurocognitive impairments. He has expertise in psychopharmacology, the medicine of medication. 

In addition, Dr. Adhia works with Physicians for Human Rights to assess victims of kidnapping and false imprisonment, human trafficking, undue influence, physical and sexual abuse, rape, and fear of imminent death. In all populations, he assesses PTSD, Anxiety, Depressive Disorders, risk of suicide, and malingering. He is experienced in the treatment and impact of drug and alcohol abuse on decision-making. Dr. Adhia has also treated severe psychosis (Schizophrenia, hallucinations) and psychopathology. Dr. Adhia was formerly treating patients at a Maximum Security Prison and prison psychiatric hospital. He has treated Opioid Use Disorders. 

Dr. Adhia’s findings consider complicating factors, such as emotional distress worsened by other active physical and mental conditions. Other factors are pre-existing mental and physical illness, competency and capacity (e.g. dementia, Intellectual Disability.) As a physician, Dr. Adhia is uniquely qualified to review medical records and doctor reports. Institutional medicine, medical malpractice, and standard of care apply to both public and private facilities, including government, regulated correctional institutions, and psychiatric hospitals. Dr. Adhia is skilled in these med-legal issues. He conducts Independent Medical Examinations, review of records, and reports his med-legal findings and opinions. He is available to testify in civil, criminal, probate, Federal, Immigration, military, and administrative jurisdictions.

Research & Planning Consultants, LP (RPC) has been assisting clients with expert services for over 45 years, including consulting and expert witness testimony for personal injury, healthcare litigation, commercial litigation and Certificate of Need matters. RPC also offers a wide selection of health data. They have served clients across the U.S, from Alaska to Florida and from New England to California. 

A Complete Team of Damages Experts for Personal Injury Litigation

Research & Planning Consultants, LP provides the following services: 

• PERSONAL INJURY - RPC provides comprehensive damages analysis in personal injury litigation. Their expert team has life care planners, vocational evaluators, board-certified physicians, economists and neuropsychologists. 

Areas of Expertise include: Life Care Plans, Loss of Earning Capacity or Support, Present Value of Damages, Medical Bill Analysis, Chargemaster Analysis, Neuropsychological Testing & Traumatic Brain Injury, Vocational Evaluations, IMEs, Section 18.001, Prestanding ED Chargemaster Analysis

• COMMERCIAL LITIGATION- RPC has provided expert analysis on commercial litigation concerning many industries: chemicals, refining, forestry, waste management, pipelines, water resources, oil and gas EDP, fisheries, agriculture, electrical generating plants, transmission lines, telecommunications, and real estate development. Our special expertise in the healthcare industry has proven valuable to business litigators unfamiliar with this complex industry.

Areas of Expertise: Breach of Contract / Commercial Economic Damages, Construction Disputes, Litigation over Non-Competitive Agreements, Environmental Torts and Toxic Torts, Commercial Disparagement, Wrongful Termination

• HEALTHCARE LITIGATION - RPC offers economic, statistical, data and clinical analysis in a wide range of healthcare litigation. They have experience with payment disputes, qui tam litigation, physician-hospital disputes, practice valuations and construction litigation. 

Areas of Expertise: Qui Tam Healthcare Litigation, Medical Staff Disputes, Professional Liability, Payment Disputes, Health Facility Construction Disputes, Freestanding ED Chargemester Analysis

• CERTIFICATE OF NEED - RPC provides Certificate of Need (CON) planning services nationwide. We have over 35 years of experience developing regulatory strategy, preparing applications and testifying in public and administrative hearings.

Areas of Expertise: Satellite Hospitals, New Hospitals, Relocation and Transfer of Beds, Observation Beds, Geriatric Psychiatric Units, Children’s Hospitals, Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Units, Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Open Heart Surgery Services, Long Term Acute Care Units, Projects that exceed CON Capital Threshold Limits, Projects for Specifically Listed Services, Programs Requiring CON, Hospices, Senior Living Facilities

Ronald T. Luke, JD, PhD, is a principal consultant and President of RPC, LP. Ron joined RPC in 1976 and became its president and principal owner in 1979. He has consulted on projects for health care providers, managed care plans and public agencies in more than 25 states. He also serves as an expert witness in trials, administrative proceedings and legislative hearings.

Active in the Health Policy Arena, Dr. Luke has been accepted as an expert in Economics, Socioeconomic Impact Analysis, and Policy Analysis by state and federal courts, and state administrative agencies. The types of cases in which he has provided expert testimony include personal injury, contractual disputes, health care payment disputes, construction defects, utility construction permitting, and certificate of need. He has testified on health care matters including market structure, billing fraud and abuse, reasonableness of charges, medical staff credentialing, workers’ compensation fee guidelines, utilization review, physician contracts, and managed care contracts.

Kacy L. Turner, MS, CRC, CVE, CLCP, is a Certified Life Care Planner and Vocational Consultant with RPC. She has over 20 years of experience in Rehabilitation. Ms. Turner has experience writing life care plans for both plaintiff and defense clients. She has experience as a rehabilitation consultant in three states and has been qualified as a testifying expert in state and federal court.  

Ms. Turner has worked on cases in several states as well as the country of Trinidad. To determine the pre-injury and post-injury employability in personal injury cases, she provides vocational testing, transferable skills analysis, job requirements analysis, rehabilitation plans, and definition of reasonable accommodations under the American with Disabilities Act. She is a member of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, the Texas Association of Rehabilitation Professionals and Providers of Services, and Vocational Evaluation and Career Assessment Professionals.

Brian Piper, PhD,  is an Economist with RPC specializing in Quantitative Analysis and Modelling. He works on a variety of cases including personal injury and certificate of need. He is experienced in data extraction, management, simulation, and analysis using STATA, SQL, ARC GIS and a variety of other programs. Dr. Piper has taught graduate classes in statistics and econometrics in both MBA and Ph.D. programs.

Dr. Piper is an experienced expert, providing testimony, reports, and affidavits on the issues of economic damages in personal injury litigation, healthcare litigation, False Claims Act litigation, and other commercial litigation. He has testified on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants. 

Dr. Piper specializes in the economics of healthcare. He has been retained by healthcare providers and insurers in payment disputes. He has analyzed the reasonableness of charges and expected payment for past and future medical services for providers, insurers, plaintiffs, and defendants. Besides work in litigation, Dr. Piper has provided analysis of Certificate of Need applications and the economic impacts of proposed legislation.

R. L. Nichols & Associates, LLC specializes in the Protection of Children within Schools and other Youth-Serving Organizations. We develop practical, sustainable strategies for organizations to improve their safety, security and emergency preparedness by identifying the organization's vulnerabilities to a wide range of risks that are specific to youth-serving organizations, such as:

• active shooters and weapons violence
• acts of terrorism
• sexual abuse, bullying and harassment
• workplace violence and street crimes
• fatalities and severe injuries from common hazards and conditions

We consult with organizations in three ways:

1. Telephone and video consultations.   We offer any school or youth-serving organization a free, no-obligation, consultation to discuss your needs. 

2. Safety Master Plans.  Working with your organization, we develop a true roadmap for continued child and staff safety improvements over multiple years.  Our comprehensive Safety Master Plan typically includes:

• An audit of your existing safety-related policies, procedures and other documentation
• Interviews with key staff who are responsible for various aspects of safety
• On-site assessments of your buildings and grounds
• Photographic and written documentation of your organization’s safety efforts that should remain
• Photographic and written recommendations for improvement
• Timeline for executing proposed changes
• Cost projections for physical safety and security improvements

3. Procurement Strategies.  We can facilitate the competitive procurement of security technology, software systems through security-related vendors and we can consult with your architects and engineers on the security aspects of new construction and renovations.

 View Les Nichols' Expert Witness Profile.

Georgia J. Persky RN, MBA, PhD, CLNC, is a seasoned nurse with over 40 years of broad Clinical Nursing experience and 25 years of Senior Leadership in Healthcare Organizations. She has expertise in the micro issues in direct patient care and the broad Management, Quality, State, Federal, and Joint Commission regulatory issues in hospitals and long term care facilities. Dr. Persky provides private consulting for hospitals that want to improve patient care quality and satisfaction. A national speaker and author, her services are in demand for engagements on healthcare issues. 

Litigation Consulting Support - As a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant and Quality Reviewer, Dr. Persky has investigated hundreds of Malpractice and Injury cases as a quality reviewer and can assist in legal case review with chronologies, timelines, and evidence based reports. Dr. Persky's services are available to attorneys for plaintiff and defense seeking an expert in nursing and patient care with a strong understanding of how hospitals and nursing homes work. 

Facility Consulting Services:

• Provide hospital and nursing leadership and support in turnaround or acute regulatory situations
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate Patient Care Services structure, processes and patient satisfaction initiatives
• Mentor nursing leadership team or screen and recruit new leadership
• Recommend strategies and tactics to improve efficiency or effectiveness in nursing and hospital operations
• Assess Perioperative Services and improve volume and patient flow
• Provide focused plan and implementation to address regulatory and accreditation issues and prepare leaders and staff for regulatory visits
• Develop Nursing, Operational and Strategic plan for handoff to new leadership team

Background Experience - Dr. Persky has served as Vice-President of Nursing and Patient Care Services for 25 years and most recently, New York Presbyterian Hospital at Columbia University Medical Center. For nine years, she was responsible for Risk and Quality Management and Patient Satisfaction for a 750 bed academic hospital. She directed a $200 million budget with 33 patient services units and Care Management, Respiratory Therapy, Social Work and Admitting Departments with 9 direct reports and 2,000 patient care employees. 

View Dr. Persky's Expert Witness Profile.

Perry Group International, founded in 1985, provides consulting, interim hotel management and restaurant and hospitality expert services for lodging, food services, resorts, and nightclubs. Their group does work nationally and internationally with new startup, profitable, and under-performing and distressed hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, retail and mixed-use real estate. 

The professionals at Perry Group International serve as third-party asset manager, owners representative, and advisor, for investors and owners. They also act as court appointed receivers and interim hospitality managers for lenders, operators, and their legal and real estate professionals. Clients have included Biscuits & Blues, Cantina’s, Chevy’s, Choice Hotels, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inns, Hilton, Holiday Inns, Hooter’s Casino, Hyatt, Marriott, McDonald’s, Microtel Inn & Suites, Outback Restaurants, Radisson, Residence Inns, Signature Resort, Sizzler, Sonic Drive-Ins, Starbucks, Starwood, Sheraton, Togo’s, Wendy’s, and Willie Mays Skybox Lounge among others.

Hospitality Management Consulting:

Hotel Restaurant Nightclub Consulting:

Dennis Gemberling, CHA, CFBE, FMP, FCSI, President and Founder of Perry Group International, has over 35 years of experience in the Hospitality Management industry. His experience includes managing, operating, and consulting on full-service, limited-service, extended-stay, all-suite, condo and timeshare hotels and resorts, casual, fine-dining, and quick-service restaurants, bars and nightclubs, special event facilities, casinos, and mixed-use real estate. 

Mr. Gemberling has held prior positions for different owners, operators, and chains as Senior Vice President, General Manager, Director of Food & Beverage, and Restaurant Unit Manager. He has been retained for over 400 projects with typical values in the $1 million to $75 million range and revenues in the $1 million to $100 million range both nationally and internationally. 

View Dennis Gemberling's Expert Witness Profile.

Britta M. Moss CPCU, SCLA, AIC-M, is a graduate of The Ohio State University and a 25+ year veteran of the Property & Casualty Insurance industry.  She has claims experience in a wide variety of personal and commercial lines claims as a Claim Representative, Examiner, Supervisor, Trainer and Manager.

Ms. Moss handles, supervises, manages and provides training for claims involving auto damage, personal & commercial property damage, bodily injury, personal injury, property damage liability, commercial general liability, uninsured / underinsured motorists, medical payments, personal injury protection, and allegations of bad faith and extra-contractual exposure.

Consulting Services Include:

Claim Consultation & Training: 

• In-House Claims Consultation and Training available on a wide range of topics and highly beneficial for any party touched by the claim process, including adjusters, agents, CSRs, underwriters, sales reps, and legal counsel.
• Good faith claim handling, supervision and management, improvement of documentation skills & procedures, understanding & managing work environment pressures, maintaining credibility & mutual respect, managing corporate discovery demands, policy & procedure refinement.

Auditing 

• Flexibility to take on a wide range of audit projects, from complete claim portfolio reviews to focus audits. Objectively review factors that are often difficult to assess at ground level: handling/management consistency, reserve adequacy, process efficiency & effectiveness, training needs, reporting gaps, and bad faith, extra-contractual, and other volatile exposures.

Presentations

• Meetings, Seminars, or Panel Discussions on best practices and standards of care in claims investigation, evaluation, negotiation, and settlement, what they see on both sides of the aisle as experts, and bad faith litigation trends.

Britta Moss's Expert Witness Profile.